


Beneath Our Willow Tree

by Leahelisabeth (fortheloveofcamelot)



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Hurt Jared, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-01
Updated: 2015-02-01
Packaged: 2018-03-09 23:23:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: This story does contain description of both physical and emotional abuse.
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3268130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortheloveofcamelot/pseuds/Leahelisabeth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared has always been told that he is a failure of an elf.  He can't do anything right.  He meets the fairy, Jensen, and his whole life changes.  He finally discovers where he belongs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beneath Our Willow Tree

**Author's Note:**

> This story was created for [](http://spn-reversebang.livejournal.com/profile)[spn_reversebang](http://spn-reversebang.livejournal.com/). The fantastic art and the inspiration for this piece comes from the wonderfully talented [](http://siennavie.livejournal.com/profile)[siennavie](http://siennavie.livejournal.com/)

  
**Summary:** Jared has always been told that he is a failure of an elf. He can't do anything right. He meets the fairy, Jensen, and his whole life changes. He finally discovers where he belongs.

 **Author's Note:** This story was created for [](http://spn-reversebang.livejournal.com/profile)[**spn_reversebang**](http://spn-reversebang.livejournal.com/). The fantastic art and the inspiration for this piece comes from the wonderfully talented [](http://siennavie.livejournal.com/profile)[**siennavie**](http://siennavie.livejournal.com/)

 **Warnings:** This story does contain description of both physical and emotional abuse.

There was a loud crash and Jared didn’t even look to see what had fallen before he was out the door and running into the forest. It wasn’t his fault, probably, but enough things were that he knew he would get blamed once again for whatever had caused their efficient, tranquil life to be disrupted.

“An elf never hurries,” he could hear his mother’s voice echoing in his ear from one of her many reprimands but at this moment, Jared was simply grateful for the reminder that no one would catch him. They would be far too worried about appearing undignified to chase him now. No, they would leave him be and let their condescending glares speak for them on his return.

A leafy green branch whipped Jared right across the face but he didn’t want to slow down yet so he continued on, ignoring the little cut that opened up above his eye. He turned to look behind him on the off chance that Uncle Elrahir had let his temper get the better of him. It hadn’t happened in at least fifty years so it was probably about due. Jared could still remember how his wrath had felt. He had never been quite so terrified before that one awful moment when his uncle had finally had enough.

Stars erupted in Jared’s vision as he felt rather than saw the tree pop up in his way. It hit him right between the shoulder and neck and flipped him over onto his back. He lay there, head whirling, gasping for air and felt something with wings land on his face. He sputtered and blew, trying to open his eyes to see what exactly was tickling his nose. He reached up with one big hand to swat it away and stopped quickly when he heard a small voice shouting at him.

“Hey! Watch it!” a small hand poked Jared sharply in the nose.

Jared finally managed to open his eyes and focused his blurry vision at the little figure standing just behind his nose, arms crossed and glaring.

The creature stood maybe six inches tall, like a little man with delicate, shining wings and the most brilliantly green eyes Jared could remember seeing.

“W-what?...” Jared stuttered.

“I’m a fairy. My name is Jensen,” the fairy smiled and Jared couldn’t help but grin back.

“Whoa, watch it,” Jensen bent and grabbed for Jared’s nose as the surface he stood on started shifted. Jared couldn’t help it. He sneezed violently, forcing Jensen off his face.

Jensen flipped over in the air a few times before regaining his equilibrium and coming back to hover right in front of Jared again. “Hey man, are you alright? This isn’t exactly a sapling and you ran into it hard enough to shake me off my perch.”

Jared had closed his eyes again. The force of his sneeze has sent his vision back into a slow whirl. “I am not certain,” he whispered quietly. “It depends on how many of you there actually are. Are you capable of splitting yourself into six identical pieces?”

Jensen looked worried. “I think maybe I should get you home.”

“NO!” Jared shot up quickly and immediately regretted it. He dropped his head down into his hands. “Not yet. I am not ready.”

“You could be concussed. You shouldn’t be alone,” Jensen landed on Jared’s knee.

Jared looked up into Jensen’s eyes, his own eyes dewy with unshed tears, brow furrowed and lip pouted. “I will be fine. They will just reprimand my clumsiness and send me to the empty room among the roots of the tree where I cannot do any damage. I would be alone there too.”

“Oh geez,” Jensen shook his head and dropped to sit cross legged on Jared’s knee. “Stop looking so pathetic. I’ll stay with you until you’re ready to return.”

Jared grinned, dimples popping out. “You should not feel obligated…”

Jensen sighed. “No, I want to, if only to assuage my guilt for leaving a giant puppy like yourself out in the woods alone with a head injury.”

Jared pouted. “I am not a puppy.”

“No, you’re a goddamn Oliphaunt with the most pitiful pair of puppy eyes I’ve ever seen. And I still don’t know how you managed to run headfirst into a giant willow tree. I guess I’m just lucky you didn’t manage to knock it over altogether.”

Jared smiled even wider. “Thank you.” He pushed himself and maneuvered around so he was sitting at the base of the tree, cradled in its roots, the long trailing branches forming a canopy over their heads. He sighed as he rested his aching head against the trunk and closed his eyes.

"Hey, none of that," Jensen flew up and patted Jared's cheek. "You shouldn't sleep for a while after that knock on your head."

"I fear that I will not be able to resist sleep unless we converse," Jared finally managed to focus on the worried blur that Jensen had become.

"Yeah, man, we can talk about whatever you want," Jensen resumed his position on Jared's knee.

"Thank you, my friend. I must confess, I have never seen one of your kind before. From where do you hail?" Jared asked.

"Really? We aren't far from here. If you go west about five miles there is a fairy ring. If you stand in the centre and wish, they'll totally let you in." Jensen pointed.

"They will let me in the fairy ring?" Jared raised one eyebrow.

Jensen laughed. "Good to see the knock to the head hasn't destroyed your sense of humour."

Jared just looked puzzled.

"They'll let you into the fairy realm of course."

"And you really are a fairy?" Jared squinted down at the little figure on his knee.

"Of course, what else could I be?" Jensen huffed.

"What else indeed?" Jared looked mildly amused. "How curious. I thought you were but a myth to frighten disobedient children. Tell me, are the fangs and claws retractable?"

"Fangs? Claws? No offense, but whoever told you those stories was off their rocker." Jensen laughed.

"I suppose I should not be surprised. They would tell me stories at bedtime about the malicious fairies who would sneak into the bedrooms of disobedient elflings and steal them away and trap them in a fairy ring for all of eternity," Jared sighed.

"They told you that?" Jensen gaped at Jared. "Who says that to a little kid?"

"Truthfully, I was a very disobedient elfling," Jared smirked faintly.

"Well, I promise that I don't have fangs or claws and I won't drag you anywhere that you don't want to go," Jensen smiled. "Tell me more. I want to know everything there is to know about growing up as a disobedient elfling."

Jared stopped smiling. "Forgive me but I wish to keep certain things hidden."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Obviously you don't have to say anything you don't want to. Perhaps I could tell you about my home instead." Jensen jumped up.

Jared's dimples popped out as he grinned shyly. "I would like that."

"Well, alright then. It's loud. It's hectic. People wear the brightest colours they can find. We sing and we dance from the moment we rise to greet the dawn until long after the last light fades from the sky." Jensen began as he settled back down on Jared's knee.

"It sounds like a pleasant place."

"Oh, it is," Jensen continued. "Sometimes I feel like it's just too much. I love my family to pieces and they love me too but there are so many of us and sometimes I need space to sit and think."

"You have siblings?" Jared asked.

"85 of them to be exact. Fairies fuck like bunnies," Jensen said frankly.

Jared's face flushed and he looked away.

"I'm sorry, fairies also tend to say whatever they're thinking because they are much too busy flitting on to the next thing to bother lying or planning how to put things delicately," Jensen apologized.

"I take no offense," Jared was quick to reassure. "Please, I wish to hear more. Especially about this dancing. I used to dance as a child and it was one of my great joys. Alas, I dare dance no longer else I risk losing my dignity."  
Jensen looked at Jared with a little bit of sadness in his eyes. "Of course, get comfy. I've got tons of stories I could tell."

Jared listened.

oooOooo

Jared floated up again through layers of consciousness. It was dark already and through the trees he could see bright shining stars. The ground was wet with dew and he could feel it soaking through his robes. He shivered hard and felt something warm nestled under his chin shift in protest to the movement. He realized quickly that Jensen had curled himself up and was fast asleep in the hollow of his throat. He was reluctant to wake him. Jensen was so peaceful and Jared could hear a snuffly little inhale, almost like a snore, with every breath. He very carefully reached up and cradled Jensen in his hands, moving him so that he could sit up. For a moment, he contemplated just setting Jensen back in his tree and sneaking off home but he started thinking about all the wild animals that could also be perching in the area, some of them for whom Jensen would be barely a mouthful, and he reconsidered. He poked carefully at Jensen to try to wake him up.

Jensen’s response was to mumble “five more minutes,” grab Jared’s index finger and curl up in an even tighter ball around it.

Jared smiled fondly. He had met Jensen mere hours ago and already he felt a stronger connection to him than any other member of the folk. “I am sorry, friend. I must return to my home before my uncle rises at dawn. I need to be invisible for a while and returning all disheveled after a night in the woods will draw far too much attention.”

Jensen smirked sleepily. “You called me, ‘friend.’”

“I suppose I did,” Jared replied.

Jensen yawned hugely and sprawled out over Jared’s palm. “I guess I should get back. Mum will be pissed if I miss the daily dawn shenanigans again.”

“Farewell Jensen. May you be blessed with joy and light as you…shenanigan,” Jared bowed formally. He had forgotten all of his manners so far but his mother had not made him practice a proper farewell for days for no purpose.

Jensen snickered. “Yeah, later, Dude.” Then his face coloured slightly and he looked away shyly. “I hang out in this tree a lot, especially in the evenings. I really hate the twilight dances. They use such ridiculous steps for something so calm as the slowly encroaching darkness of night. I would rather sit and watch night fall.”

Jared’s dimples deepened. “Is this an invitation?”

Jensen simply nodded.

“Then I shall accept,” Jared grinned. “I shall return here tomorrow.” He turned to head back and promptly tripped over his own feet and fell headfirst into a bush. “I am not hurt!” He jumped up immediately and hurried on his way.

Jensen watched him go and felt that his world was just a little bit brighter and warmer now that a certain clumsy elf had wormed his way in.

The house was silent as Jared approached but he still did not feel safe going through the front door. He climbed up the outside of the tree to his bedroom window and slipped inside.

"You should be more careful," his mother spoke from the doorway, startling Jared.

"I am careful enough," he replied. "I do not wish for my uncle to be angry at me."

"Then why do you tempt fate in this manner? Elrahir grows angry again. Tonight was the worst I had seen him since the night your father..."

"I will be careful. At least if I am gone, he will not be able to accuse me unjustly." Jared scoffed.

"Do you accuse your uncle of being unjust? Perhaps he has punished you for events in which you were not involved but you were a very naughty child. I am certain this will suffice for any punishment you did not receive." His mother strode into the room and pulled him into the bed. "Sleep."

Jared obeyed. His eyes were closing and despite the long nap he had taken under the tree, he was still quite tired.

His mother stopped at the door and looked back. "Why can you not be a regular elf?"  
For a moment, the sadness at his mother’s disappointment threatened to drag him under but his heart had been lightened by the earlier encounter and when he drifted off to sleep, brilliant green eyes and gossamer wings danced through his dreams.

oooOooo

The next evening, once Elrahir had retired to his study, Jared clambered quickly out of the tree. He lost his footing about five feet above the ground but managed to catch himself before he hit the ground.

“Jared,” his mother whispered frantically from the window he had crawled through. “Where are you going? What if my brother wishes you to say goodnight?”

“He will not. Uncle barely tolerates my presence. He will not seek it out.”

“He will if something happens and he needs someone to blame.”

“Nothing will happen if I am not here to cause it.” Jared began to walk away. “Everything will be fine.”

Jared did not run to the tree in case anyone was watching him go but he did try to glide at the maximum elfly speed. His steps quickened once the ancient willow tree came into sight. He could see the fading sunlight glinting off Jensen’s wings long before he managed to catch a glimpse of the fairy’s form. When he did, he waved hugely, involving his whole arm in a rather undignified salute. He did run the last few yards to the tree, almost tripping and running headfirst into it again.

Jensen shook his head. “It’s like the bark is magnetic. How many concussions have you had?”  
“I am not certain. I am young, I am barely out of my first 100 cycles, but they have been numerous,” Jared spoke. “I am fortunate that elves are blessed with durable bone structure.”

“So you’re saying you are hard headed?” Jensen winked.

“Yes, I believe that is what I said,” Jared furrowed his brow.

Jensen laughed. “I brought some supper so I hope you have a very small amount of a good appetite.”

Jared laughed delightedly. “I also brought a repast. We shall share and we shall both be satisfied.”

The food of Jensen’s people was magical. The bread was so soft it melted in Jared’s mouth. There were pieces of fruit so juicy they burst on his tongue and red juice dripped down his chin. The wine was potent even in small quantities in the cups made from acorns that Jensen had brought along for serving.

“This is delicious but do you have any bigger cups?” Jared furrowed his brow again.  
Jensen laughed so hard he rolled from his place on Jared’s knee and onto the thick green grass. “The look…on your face!” He choked out between giggles.

Jared glared at him but then forgot what he was doing with his hands. The tiny acorn cup shot out from between his fingers and hit him square in the face. The small amount of wine splashed onto his face and dripped down.

Jensen giggled even harder before having pity on his new friend. “I’ll get it.” He pulled out a tiny white handkerchief and started mopping up the wine on Jared’s nose. It was soon saturated. Jensen hovered in front of Jared’s face and noticed he missed a drop, just at the corner of Jared’s mouth. He shrugged, placed his tiny hands on Jared’s jawline, leaned in and licked the drop away.

Jared froze, unsure of how to respond but when Jensen dropped back onto his knee and kept giggling as if nothing had happened, Jared decided not to dwell on it.  
They stayed late again, talking that night and other nights, often falling asleep, Jensen curled up in his favourite place in the hollow of Jared’s neck, and waking up to sneak home in the wee hours. Jared grew more daring, hurrying through his daily tasks so he could leave earlier in the day, sometimes as early as just after the noon meal. This continued for three sevendays until Jared’s mother stopped him once again as he headed out to meet Jensen.

“He is growing suspicious. He asked yesterday where you are spending your afternoons and why you never return at night before he slumbers. You must stay home for a couple of days, just until he stops watching so closely.”

“But mother…” Jared protested.

“Do not argue. I know you go to meet someone. Do you want Elrahir to follow you? Do you want another person to get in the way of his wrath? Do you wish to have another’s blood on your hands?”

Jared recoiled, as if he had been burned. He looked at his hands and remembered seeing them rubbed raw as he struggled to cleanse them of his father’s blood. “Of course not.”

“It was your recklessness and your ineptitude that drew your uncle’s wrath that day. It was love for you that caused my husband to protect you and it is because of you that I lost him. I will continue to overlook your guilt because you are my son and I do not wish to lose yet another member of my family but do not expect me to stand in the way like your father chose to do,” she spat out.

“I understand. I will return to my room until you or my uncle have a task for me,” Jared kept his composure as he retreated into his room. Once there, he crawled into the space between his bed and the wall, curled up as tightly as his large frame would allow, and gave into sobs.

“Elves do not cry,” his mother had told him when he was a child, only 50 cycles old, standing at the graveside of his father.

“Sometimes they do,” he whispered fiercely, then and now. “When they lose the ones they love.”

Jensen finds him curled up there several hours later. “What is wrong, my friend?” He asks as he lifts Jared’s face and wipes away his tears with a tiny, pink-stained handkerchief.

“Jensen,” Jared whispers brokenly. “You should leave before someone sees you.”

“You want me to leave you like this? In tears? No way, man,” Jensen scowled at him.

“Please, you don’t know the situation. You have to leave. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you”

“Nothing is going to happen to me,” Jensen gripped Jared’s jawline the same way he had done at their first picnic and this time intentionally laid his tiny lips against Jared’s. “I’m not going anywhere. I think I might be in love with you.”

Jared could only look at him in shock. He almost didn’t hear the sound of footsteps outside his door and the creak of it opening. He snatched Jensen out of the air and clutched him tight to his chest, hoping his uncle had not seen anything and that Jensen would have the good sense to remain silent.

Elrahir looked down at him in scorn. “I should have known this is where you would be. Even our women do not succumb to the weakness of tears. I am ashamed to call you my nephew.”

Jared could feel Jensen fighting to get out but he squeezed a little tighter hoping that he would get the hint.

“I apologize that you must witness my weakness,” Jared’s voice quavered. “What purpose do you have for seeking me out, Uncle? Do you have some task for me to perform?”

“I wish you to gather greens for dinner. Your mother should not have to perform these tasks while you waste your time in the forest. Do not drop them on the ground this time either. I am not fond of the feeling of grit between my teeth.”

“Yes sir. Right away,” Jared nodded and rose, placing Jensen inside his robe and hoping he wouldn’t do anything foolish. Then he rushed away from his uncle’s disapproving gaze.

“What the hell was that?” Jensen demanded once Jared climbed out of the tree and had removed him from his robes. “How dare he speak to you like that?”

Jared just looked at him sadly. “I will tell you, but not here, not now. He might come to find me and I mean it when I say I could not bear it if something happened to you. Sometimes I feel like you are the only one who truly knows me and I think I might be falling in love with you too. Please, just go. Wait for me beneath our willow tree. I will try to slip away once my uncle falls asleep.”

“Jared,” Jensen said helplessly.

“Please, Jensen. I will explain. Just trust me for now.”

“I will. And I will wait for you."

Jared wasted no time that night. The moments he heard the snore from his uncle's room, he was out the window and running towards their tree.

They settled quickly, Jared reclining comfortably against the trunk and Jensen curled up in his usual place at the hollow of Jared's throat.

They sat in silence for a while before Jared finally began to speak.

"My father also loved to dance. When I was in the first fifty years of my life, my father and I would clear the floor and set up blankets over the windows and we would dance with no one watching. He was always so proud of me.

"Elrahir figured out what was going on and decided I was hardly fit to be an elfin child. He told my father to get me under control.

"At the moment that he was speaking to my father, I was once again choosing not to listen. Elrahir found me in his rooms, this time holding a picture of the woman he had loved and lost.

"He grew even angrier. I have never seen such rage in any elf before or since. He ran at me and slammed my head into the wall. I must have screamed because my father came running and saw my uncle with his hand around my throat, dragging me toward the window. He shoved me out and my father was there but not soon enough to keep either of us from falling.

"My father sheltered me with his body. I was not hurt but my father died of his injuries two days later. My uncle and my mother never forgave me for my disobedience." Jared hung his head and waited for Jensen to leave him there. What fairy as good-hearted as Jensen would remain friends with a murderer?

"It wasn't your fault. You do know that, right?" Jensen said gently.

"But it was my fault. I should have known better. I made him angry and because I could not listen, my father died," Jared wept.

"I can't believe they've been putting all this on you." Jensen exploded. "You were a child and you obviously loved your father very much."

"You don't understand. Elrahir is a good man. He would never kill anyone. It was my disobedience that drove him," Jared looked at Jensen through tear-filed eyes.

"Jared," Jensen stood up and caressed Jared's cheek. "Good men don't throw children out of windows. Good men don't lose themselves to anger so badly that they kill someone who gets in the way. Good men definitely don't blame their issues on innocent children to manage their guilt."

Jared burst into tears again and gently cradled Jensen against his face. For the first time in his life, it felt like someone was truly on his side.

Jensen sang to him then with a sweet voice like clear starlight. He wiped away Jared's tears and combed his arms through Jared's hair and Jared felt lighter than he had in years. He wanted to hold on to that feeling and he lingered far longer than he knew he should. He had not known what it was like to feel this closeness with another soul, not since his father had died.

By the time Jared left, he had to run through the forest. He knew his uncle would be rising soon. He snuck back up into the tree he called home, heading straight for his bedroom window. Dawn was just beginning to paint the tops of the trees. He heaved a sigh of relief once he made it in.

“You are up early,” His uncle’s voice rumbled from the darkest corner of his room.

Jared started violently. “I…I just needed a little fresh air.”

“Do you take me for a fool, Jared? I saw you with that tiny abomination. I saw him kiss you. I know you went to find him tonight. He has corrupted you. He has made you unclean.”

“Please, he has done nothing. You do not have to hurt him.”

“Do you want to know the worst thing about you, Jared? It is not the clumsiness or the weakness. Although those are bad enough. You are poisonous, Jared. I am a good elf. I have always been so. I have always been in control. I would never have hurt my brother but you turn me into this monster, this murderer, and I am powerless to resist. You have nobody but yourself to blame for what I am about to do to you.” Elrahir stepped out of the shadows and his face appeared as a demonic mask in the growing light of dawn.

Jared turned to run but he wasn’t fast enough. Elrahir grabbed him by the back of his robes and drove his face into the roots that formed his windowsill. Jared was dazed but he refused to give up so easily. He drove his head backward into his uncle’s face, breaking Elrahir’s nose. Elrahir howled and slammed Jared to the floor, gripping Jared’s arm and twisting it high behind him.

Jared cried out and looked toward his doorway. He could just barely make out his mother’s pale face through the blood that sheeted down his forehead and trailed into his eyes.

“Mother, please,” he whispered.

“I warned you,” she said.

Elrahir pulled his arm higher and Jared felt the bones snap and his shoulder slip out of joint. He screamed in pain as he watched his mother turn away and leave him, eyes still dry.  
Elrahir stood up and watched him lying on the floor, writhing from the pain. “You see, you poison everybody. You drive them all away. I can’t let you turn me into this person.” He kicked Jared in the stomach and watched dispassionately as Jared lost the contents of his stomach all over the floor. “I cannot let you live.”

Elrahir hoisted Jared up with his broken arm, dragged him to the window and pushed him out. Jared managed to grab a vine on the way down that slowed his fall enough to survive the impact. It still managed to steal the breath from his lungs. He lay there, gasping like a fish, unable to run. His first breath was agony knifing through his chest.  
Jared was dazed and couldn’t focus on the dark figure over him. He whimpered when he was draped over a shoulder and carried away from his home. Broken ends of rib bones grated against each other in his chest He was dropped suddenly, head smacking into the ground. He tried to scream at the impact but he still could not draw a full breath.

“I am not a bad elf. I am not a monster,” his uncle whispered. “I do not need to strike the killing blow when the elements will kill you by morning. Goodbye, Jared.”

Jared listened until he heard his uncle’s footsteps fade into the distance before he pushed himself painfully to his feet and started walking.

He did not know how long he walked but he was trembling nearly uncontrollably by the time the tree was in sight. He nearly cried when he realized Jensen was still there.

"Jared! What...?" Jensen flew over to him.

"He was so angry," Jared began. "I couldn't fight him."

"Your uncle did this to you?" Jensen growled.

Jared nodded, exhausted.

"I'm going to rip his lungs out," Jensen snarled.

"No, Jensen, it isn't worth it." Jared swayed and went down on one knee.

"Whoa, hey, maybe you should sit down," Jensen gripped Jared's jaw in both hands again, forcing him to focus. He didn't realize that Jared was going all the way down until it was too late and he found himself pinned to the ground by Jared's cheek.

Jensen struggled but Jared was very heavy and very unconscious. He couldn’t even wiggle his way out from under Jared’s face, much less move him.

“Come on, Jared, buddy, wake up,” Jensen begged. There was no reply. He discovered if he stretched just right, he could place his bare foot against Jared’s neck and feel the pulse beating there. It frightened him to feel how weak it was. The strong steady beat had been lulling him to sleep for many days but this pulse faltered and skipped beats. The moon came out from behind the clouds and lit up Jared’s face. Terror overwhelmed Jensen when he saw blood on Jared’s lips. As he lay there, struggling to move Jared’s heavy head, he could hear Jared’s breathing grow harsher and more laboured. At that moment, Jensen knew three things. First, Jared would not last the night. Second, he could not imagine life without his gentle giant. Third, he had a choice to make.

All fairies contain a small amount of healing magic, enough to heal minor injuries in one of their own kind. They could attempt to heal larger creatures but it drained their energy. If Jensen were to heal someone Jared’s size of so many injuries, it could well cost him his life.

Jensen did not have to think for long. Really there was no other choice he could make. He stretched out his arms to hold as much of Jared’s face as he possibly could and he kissed his cheek for what could very well be the last time. Then Jensen reached down into the depths of his soul and called his magic forth.

At first, it didn’t look like much, just a few bright sparks travelling from Jensen’s hands to Jared’s body, but it grew brighter and greater until the forest around them was lit up. Jensen was enveloped in light so bright it was as if a star had come down to rest beneath the willow.

When the light faded, Jared could breathe again. His eyes fluttered and opened. He was still sore but the agony had gone. There was something cold lying under his head and freezing his cheek. He sat up shakily and looked at the ground where his head had been lying only to see Jensen, eyes closed and still. There was something missing from the fairy that lay on the ground. Trembling, Jared gathered Jensen into his hands and cradled him close. It was then that he realized that the light that had always surrounded his friend had gone out.

“No,” he whispered desperately as he searched for some sign of life. He could not find a heartbeat in his tiny chest and he was already so cold but when he held him up to his face, he could feel just the tiniest puff of frigid air.

Jared dragged himself to his feet, ignoring the stretch and burn of muscles too recently torn and bones not quite mended. He cradled Jensen close to his chest, right against the skin over his heart in hopes that his warmth would keep the fairy alive until he could reach help.  
Later, he is not sure how he managed to find the fairy ring and why they did not turn him away in fear of the madman he resembled. It was all a blur until he found himself kneeling before Oberon, king of the fairies. He could not speak for weeping. His tears fell on Jensen’s cold skin as he cradled him in his hands once again and held him out before the king.

The king stood and flew to stand on Jared’s palm next to Jensen.

“I can save him,” Oberon said.

Jared could hardly trust his own ears.

“I can save his life with magic but the magic has to come from somewhere.”

“I will find it. I will do anything,” Jared spoke.

The king flew up and touched Jared’s heart. “This is where the magic is. He gave his to you so that you could live. If I take it back, it will return you to the state you were in before he healed you.”

“Anything,” Jared pleaded. “I cannot let him give his life for mine.”

“There is another way. But it will change everything you have ever known. You will never be able to return to your old life. Your family and home will be lost to you.” Oberon warned.

“Jensen is my home now,” Jared said simply.

“Well then, I can transform you into something smaller, something that requires less magic to maintain. Jensen will sleep for a time as he regains his energy but he will live.”

“Do it,” Jared said. “There is no time to waste.”

Oberon laid his hands on both their hearts and the light shone once again.

oooOooo

Jensen stretched and yawned. He felt warm and content and safe. He snuggled close to warm skin as he heard a familiar heartbeat. He grinned lazily and opened up his eyes to see Jared’s face was much smaller and closer than he expected. Startled, he jumped up and hovered over the bed, looking at how Jared had changed. He was still big for a fairy. He was probably a half inch taller than Jensen and Jensen was considered tall. He was only half dressed and his legs went on for miles. Jensen could only hover and look his fill of the parts of Jared he had never allowed himself to want. He was so distracted by the change that he did not notice that Jared’s eyes were now open.

Jared smiled up at him shyly. “Do you like what you see?”

“Jared…” Jensen had to stop for a moment, overcome. “You are so much more beautiful than I dared to imagine. But how?”

“Oberon took my elven magic to save you and there was enough left over at the end to turn me into one of you. You’re not mad that I have changed and I am no longer the elf you fell for?” Jared sat up and ducked his head.

Jensen was struck dumb again when Jared’s glorious wings spread out from his back. “How could I be mad? I was sure we were doomed to live forever wanting what we could not have. But look at you, you’re perfect. And you’re all mine. That is, if you still want to be.”

Jared looked up, his heart in his eyes and nodded. Jensen dropped back onto the bed in a tangle of wings and legs and lips and tongues and proceeded to kiss Jared breathless.

Later, when they paused to catch their breath, Jensen lay with his head in the hollow of Jared’s neck and they revelled in the closeness.

“I never thought that happiness like this could exist. But here I am with a new form and a fresh start and so much waiting for me. Thank you, Jensen,” Jared murmured.

Jensen smiled as he heard the fairies begin to awaken. The first light of day was about to kiss the horizon. The fairies were dressing up in their best and brightest and soaring on their glittering wings to greet the day. Jensen stood and held out his hand to Jared.

“Come with me, my love. I believe I owe you a dance.”  
  



End file.
